Traditional Chinese Medicine for Fertility Support
Photo: Tim Samuel
Fertility is something that most people take for granted, assuming that starting a family will be easy to do once you are ready. However, if you are one of the many people out there struggling to conceive, then you know that this is not always the case.
There are a lot of different reasons you may be having trouble conceiving. Some of the more common include:
● Irregular menstrual cycles
● Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
● Endometriosis
● Fibroids
● Luteal Phase Defect (LPD)
● Premature Ovarian Failure
● Recurrent miscarriage
● Reduced sperm count or quality
This article will walk you through the basics of fertility as understood in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Like any other doctor, a TCM provider cannot guarantee that you will get pregnant. However, clinical research has shown that acupuncture and herbal medicine - the two most commonly used components of TCM - can increase your chances both of getting pregnant naturally and of having a successful IVF or IUI cycle. Traditional Chinese Medicine can also help with the emotional stress that often accompanies trying to conceive.
The Menstrual Cycle in Traditional Chinese Medicine
In TCM, the menstrual cycle is viewed very similarly to the way we understand it in the west. However, the language that we use to describe it is slightly different. Because TCM was developed thousands of years ago in ancient China, doctors understood human health purely based on what they could observe, either within the body or in nature itself. They did not know about eggs, or sperm or hormones, so they looked at fertility based on what they did know. Therefore, the primary factors that are usually considered when diagnosing menstrual issues from a TCM perspective are yin, yang, qi, and blood.
Yin and yang are the opposing yet complementary forces of nature; water and fire, cold and hot, stillness and movement and so on. As well as being responsible for the changing of the seasons and the shift between night and day, yin and yang are vital to the overall health of our bodies on many levels, including our fertility.
Qi is usually translated as “energy”, but in TCM, it means so much more than that. It is responsible for movement, protection and nourishment within our bodies. Without qi, we would simply die.
Blood is a more familiar concept, but in TCM the blood is thought to have many more functions than it does in western medicine. As well as transporting nutrients, it warms, moistens and nourishes. Blood has a close relationship with qi and it is important that both qi and blood are in harmony in order to be healthy.
In TCM, the menstrual cycle is divided into four distinct phases:
● The Blood Phase – this starts on the first day of your period. Old blood is expelled from the uterus to make way for the next cycle. People with issues in this phase may experience painful periods or clotting as blood is unable to flow as it should.
● The Yin Phase – during this phase, the womb lining (the endometrium) begins to build back up in preparation for implantation. In western medicine this is called proliferation and is under the control of the hormone estrogen.
● The Yang Phase – when yin reaches its maximum level, it transforms into yang, triggering ovulation. Progesterone is released and the basal body temperature rises. Problems with ovulation can be caused by a deficiency of either yin or yang.
● The Qi Phase – the body reaches its peak of yang, ready to push out blood (unless you are pregnant) and start the cycle again. Problems here can cause symptoms such as irregular periods or spotting as your body struggles to begin menstruation.
So when diagnosing menstrual irregularities in TCM, all of these factors need to be considered along with the clients constitution and own individual symptoms.
Male Factor Fertility in Traditional Chinese Medicine
In TCM, semen and sperm are known as “essence” or jing in Chinese. Everyone has jing. It is stored by the Kidneys, which in TCM extend to include the adrenal glands, ovaries and testes.
There are two types of essence; pre-heavenly and post-heavenly essence. Pre-heavenly essence is predetermined by your parents age and health when you are conceived. It could be compared to your genetic make-up, and there isn't much you can do to change it.
Post-heavenly essence on the other hand, is something which you can influence. It can be either conserved or destroyed depending on your diet, lifestyle and so on. Your essence depletes naturally with age, but the process can be sped up by a diet lacking in nutrition, inappropriate exercise for your body type, smoking, alcohol and recreational drugs.
According to TCM theory, having a low sperm count or motility would be classed as insufficient essence. As well as using herbs or acupuncture to repair your essence, making dietary and lifestyle changes is one of the best things you can do to boost your fertility.
Essence plays a crucial role in not only conception, but also having a healthy baby. This is why it is usually recommended that both partners come for TCM treatment if you are trying to conceive.
Diagnosing Fertility Issues in Traditional Chinese Medicine
As well as taking into account the above factors of yin, yang, qi, blood and essence, there are other things that also need to be considered when making a diagnosis.
TCM is a holistic treatment. This means that it takes into account the health of your entire body as well as your fertility. Every client will be given a unique diagnosis depending on their individual symptoms and constitution.
If you choose to make TCM part of your path to a healthy pregnancy your provider will take a detailed medical history including past and present symptoms, family history and lifestyle. They will then be able to identify which factors may be contributing to your fertility issues, and how any other symptoms you may have fit into the picture. They will then be able to prescribe the right herbs and acupuncture to treat your condition.
If you would like to take more of a deep dive into the TCM theory of fertility, click here.
